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Beatles Australian 10th Anniversary 1963-1973 Souvenir LP

My third item from the recent Glebe Record Fair (you can read about the other two here and here) is a unique and interesting Australian-only Beatles release:

To give you a bit of background to this one here’s a quote from the incredibly informative book “An Overview of Australian Beatles Records” by Jaeson Jones: “In February 1973, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the first Beatles record released in Australia (Please Please Me/Ask Me Why), EMI (Australia) repackaged the two previously issued Greatest Hits compilations into a double LP set with a new gatefold sleeve and distinctive purple labels. The LP was promoted nationally by member stations of the major radio network of Australia, with the front cover featuring a gold sticker on the top left displaying the call sign of the promoting station. The participating radio stations were 2KO, 2UE, 3DB, 4BK, 5AD, 6PR, 7EX and 7HT.

While there was no new content, or new mixes of old content, the labels eschewed the orange hue that characterised contemporary Beatles releases in favour of a more subdued lilac/purple colour; not a particularly earth-shattering variation perhaps, but one that undeniably adds to the unique character of the Australian Beatles labelography.

The set was to be short-lived, however, for a few months later EMI UK announced the impending release of The Beatles 1962-66 (Red) and The Beatles 1967-70 (Blue) double LPs, effectively scuttling sales of this commemorative set, which was quietly deleted before mid-1973.”

Finding this LP in good condition is difficult because the white paper/cardboard used for the cover is very flimsy and very easily torn or scuffed. Most copies you see have significant ring wear. As you can see, mine is marked and not pristine, but overall not too bad for its age. Here’s the rear cover:

It has the gold corner sticker on the front left-hand side indicating it was originally purchased in Sydney, New South Wales, and consequently had publicity support of the participating radio station 2UE at the time:

As you can see on the first front cover image above, it also has the name of the person who owned it…. Linda Chinner – are you still out there?

At the time of this album’s release pre-Apple Beatles LPs were being issued in by EMI Australia on a bright orange Parlophone label that looks like this:

However, the two LPs in this set got an unusual and unique lilac/purple and silver Parlophone label:

This album set gathers together two “best of” previously released Australian LP’s “The Beatles Greatest Hits, Vol.1” and “The Beatles Greatest Hits, Vol.2” and packages them in a gatefold. These next two images are the inside of the gatefold, left side and right side:

These are the original covers for the two albums in this 2 LP set. “The Beatles Greatest Hits Vol. 1” was released in Australia and New Zealand in mono in 1966 and in stereo in 1968; “The Beatles Greatest Hits Vol. 2” was released in both stereo and mono in 1967:

Call me a lot of attention to EMI Australia have chosen those images previously used on albums of the U.S. market for their collections, Beatles 65 and Beatles VI, always thought that Australians were ruled over the British matrix patterns.

I have just been clearing my loft and found the copy of ‘the beatles 10th anniversary’ as described above which was brought to the UK in 1976. It is in pristine condition as it is still in the original plastic. Does anyone have an idea of value. I also have several original albums, some mono including Help and Revolver.

This album WAS my childhood. Don’t know if i would be a musician today if mum and dad didn’t have this. What a cracker. I used to love playing with the balance and hearing those crazy early stereo mixes. Awesome.

Hi Jonny, thanks for the story of what this particular Beatles album meant to you and the impact it had on your life and your career. Good luck with all your musical pursuits. People can see Jonny’s website at: http://www.jonnygardiner.com

Hi Steve, if it were in good condition (and they are hard to find because of the flimsy white cardboard they used for the cover) and if it had the radio station sticker still in place it could go for anywhere between about $40 – $80. Good condition examples with stickers from radio stations in small states sell for more as there were less produced.

Hi, sorry for the delayed response. I’d think if it were in very good condition (both the discs and the cover) then it would be worth around $40-50. Its hard to find these in good condition though because of the mostly white cover which is very flimsy and is prone to ring wear marks. Send us a photo if you can. And also let us know which radio station – because that also affects the value.

It is a Perth radio station in Western Australia https://www.6pr.com.au/
Back in the day it would have been a Top 40 station, hence the association with the Beatles for this release. Today it does news/talk programs.
Those LPs all came with gold corner stickers – depending on which Australian state you purchased it in there would be a different radio station promoted.
See http://www.beatlesaustralia.com/19_10THANNIV_index.html for more details, but the participating stations were 2KO and 2UE in NSW, 3DB in Melbourne, 4BK in Brisbane, 5AD Adelaide, 6PR Perth, and 7EX and 7HT in Tasmania.
Cheers!